Rabies Remains a Public Health Threat

Rabies continues to be a public health threat in Alabama, even though it is totally preventable in humans if proper treatment is given before symptoms occur. In recent years, Alabama has seen cases of rabies in friendly horses, bats in day care centers, cuddly stray kittens on a college campus, dogs in rural and suburban areas, as well as in wildlife including raccoons, foxes, coyotes, skunks, and bobcats.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that infects the central nervous system of mammals. The virus is spread through exposure to saliva or nervous tissue from an infected animal, typically through a bite. Scratches or contact with saliva on a mucous membrane are also considered exposure risks.

In Alabama, there are two different strains of rabies virus: the raccoon variant and the bat variant. The raccoon strain can infect other wildlife, such as foxes, coyotes, and skunks; but more importantly, it can infect people's pets. Vaccination of dogs, cats, and ferrets is required by law. Vaccinations for other species, such as horses and livestock are also available and recommended. Vaccinating animals helps ensure protection should they unknowingly be exposed to a rabid animal.

The bat variant can also infect pets or people. Bats present a unique risk of rabies because their bites may be unknown or leave insignificant marks. If you should have bats in your house or bedroom, please contact your physician or local health department for consultation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year 100,000 Americans are vaccinated against rabies following a potential rabies exposure. Rabies post-exposure treatment includes wound washing, human rabies immune globulin, and rabies vaccine. Thanks to this treatment, human deaths from rabies average only a couple each year in the United States.

Public health works to prevent rabies through animal control and vaccination programs to reduce animal-to-human transmission. Our county health department environmentalists investigate suspected rabies cases and our Bureau of Clinical Laboratories tests animals for the virus. For more than 70 years, state law has required vaccination of domestic animals, and since 2003 a federally funded project to stop the westward spread of rabies by orally vaccinating raccoons has operated in the state.

Steps for preventing rabies are as follows:

1. Avoid being bitten or scratched. Seek medical attention immediately, and report to the local health department.
2. Don't approach stray or injured animals or wildlife.
3. Don't handle bats.
4. Keep your pets and livestock vaccinated.
5. Keep pets properly confined or on leashes and away from wild animals as much as possible.
6. Avoid leaving trash or leftover pet food uncovered, which may attract wildlife.
7. Any bite or scratch from an animal should be checked by a physician and reported to the county health department. Any domestic animal that bites a human needs to be examined by a licensed veterinarian.

For more information on rabies, view the most frequently asked questions.

Scott Harris, MD, MPH
State Health Officer